What are the key components of a landing page?

What are the key components of a landing page

A landing page has a vital role to play on your website – it needs to actively persuade your reader to take action – so it’s important to know how to write one.

All too often, people confuse a ‘landing page’ for a homepage, but the two are very different. That’s why it helps to understand what are the key components of a landing page. Below, we’ll explain the different types of landing pages, the benefits and what you need to include on yours.

Table of Contents

What is a landing page?

A landing page is where a customer ‘lands’ after clicking through from an email or advertisement. It is usually a standalone webpage you can use to target a specific search query and put out a targeted call to action (CTA). This could be for them to sign up for something or purchase a product.

Unlike a homepage, a landing page usually contains only one link, and that is to direct the user to follow your CTA. Landing pages are effectively targeting a different audience, as the customers who end up there have already shown an interest in what you’re offering and haven’t ended up there simply by browsing.

What types of landing pages are there?

Landing pages can generally be said to fall into two categories:

  • Lead-generating pages
  • Click-through pages

Lead generating pages

Sometimes shortened to ‘lead gens’, these pages are used to collect information on users. These tend to take the shape of a form, where customers exchange personal data for goods or services, giving you their names, email addresses, telephone numbers and sometimes more specific demographic information such as their age range or job title.

Lead generation landing pages can really benefit your company, as they allow you to gain a greater insight into your target audience. This means you can tailor your marketing and advertising to see you attract greater numbers of your core demographic in future campaigns.

Click-through pages

These pages are slightly different in that they are purely about the CTA, not about gathering data. They will redirect customers to a page where they can complete the action you want them to take, normally with the use of a button marked something along the lines of ‘order now’ or ‘try your free demo here’.

Aside from the CTA button, they might contain persuasive information to entice customers to proceed, often a more detailed product description or glowing testimonials from other customers.

What are the benefits of landing pages?

Landing pages are vital for any business because they can increase conversions, give you greater insight and allow you to run more targeted advertising campaigns.

Unlike a homepage which is there for the long-term, landing pages are often temporary or changeable and focus on short-term goals which reap instant rewards for your company.

They’re a good way of reinforcing your brand in the customer’s mind so that they’re more likely to come back to you in future. That means they need to be consistent with the rest of your website.

Landing pages can also boost your credibility because people like to be given clear, simple instructions and a well-penned page can really sell the advantages of what you have to offer.

What are the key components of a landing page?

Well-written landing pages can make a huge difference to the success of your business, so there are several key components you need to think about when putting yours together:

1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

SEO is very important on a landing page, and you need to focus on long-tail keywords. These tend to be phrases containing three or more words. For example, if you’re selling cupcakes then short-tail keywords might include ‘cupcakes’, ‘cake’ and ‘bakery’, while long-tail keywords might include ‘the best cupcakes’ or ‘where can I buy cupcakes’.

Learn how to write content for SEO

2. An intriguing headline

You need a headline that is going to pique your reader’s interest, so you might want to include those keywords which are going to jump out at them and make them feel they need to act. That might mean drawing their attention with keywords such as ‘now’ or ‘free’, something which will nudge them to follow your CTA.

3. Well-written copy

The copy on the page needs to follow on from your enticing header, to keep people reading long enough to actually take action. Copy that is littered with typos or is simply dull and flat is not going to engage them, and they’ll probably click away without taking in the message.

Check out our grammar checklist for content writing.

4. H1 headings that match your meta title

The meta title is what brought them here in the first place, so you want your H1 headings to match. This confirms to customers that they have landed in the right place, and H1 headers which don’t match your meta title may be treated with suspicion by search engines, as they’re deemed to be misleading.

5. Pointers to your CTA

Ideally, your CTA will be very close to the top of the page, so people don’t have time to switch off before they read it. If that’s not possible, then encourage them to get to the CTA using language which will make them keep scrolling.

6. Mixed media

Don’t just use words! Having some images or, better still, a video of your product or service in action can make a big difference, lending credibility to what you’re offering and bringing your message home in a much simpler, more digestible format.

7. Testimonials

If you have happy customers who have left positive reviews, then include them. This reassures hesitant customers and means they’re more likely to follow your CTA.

8. Bullet points/short paragraphs

Customers switch off when confronted with a wall of text, so try to break it up into bullet points, short paragraphs or even block quotes. This looks more manageable and means users can easily skim read and get to the all-important CTA.

9. Contact information

They may not need or want to contact you, but by offering up your contact details, you show that you’re sincere, legitimate and have their best interests at heart.

The takeaway

All the best landing pages are well-written, well-laid out and not overly complicated in their message. This is your big chance to sell yourself to a customer who has already shown an interest.

If you really want to find out what works, you could even create more than one version of your landing page to test which is the most successful. This is called A/B testing.

So long as you include these key components, your landing pages should generate the interest and conversions you need.

✏️ Check out our content creation checklists for a rundown of what you need to include in the most common pieces of content.


Header image: StockSnap

Embedded images: Visual Design, Mylene Tremoyet

Lizzie Exton